Ferdinand Preiss
Encyclopedia
Johann Philipp Ferdinand Preiss (February 13, 1882 - 1943) was a German
sculptor. He was born in Erbach im Odenwald
as one of six children. Both of his parents died when he was 15 so that he was apprenticed to the ivory carver Philipp Willmann and lived with his family. In 1901 he traveled to Rome and Paris.
He became friendly with Arthur Kassler in Baden-Baden
, which led to the founding of the company Preiss & Kassler, operating from Berlin
. Kassler became the business-minded partner and Preiss controlled artistic production.
In 1907 he married Margarethe Hilme, producing two children, Harry and Lucie. Initially the company created small ivory carvings of children and statuettes of classical form. From 1910 the firm grew to specialize in limited edition Art Deco
cabinet sculptures that used painted bronze with ivory on plinths of onyx and marble, with an occasional foray into mantelpiece clocks and lampstands. Preiss designed nearly all the firm's models. Casting of the pieces was done by the firm Gladenbeck in Berlin. With the outbreak of World War I
in 1914 the company was employing six extremely skilled ivory carvers from Erbach and exporting regularly to England and the United States.
The firm closed with Preiss's death from a brain tumor in 1943. The old workshop in Ritterstraße in Berlin, which was housing the stock of samples, was gutted by a fire resulting from a bomb attack shortly before the end of World War II
.
Preiss' works are greatly valued by modern collectors.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
sculptor. He was born in Erbach im Odenwald
Erbach im Odenwald
-Location:The town lies in the Odenwald at elevations between 200 and 560 m in the valley of the Mümling.-Neighbouring communities:Erbach borders in the north on the town of Michelstadt, in the east on the market town of Kirchzell , in the south on the community of Hesseneck and the town of...
as one of six children. Both of his parents died when he was 15 so that he was apprenticed to the ivory carver Philipp Willmann and lived with his family. In 1901 he traveled to Rome and Paris.
He became friendly with Arthur Kassler in Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden is a spa town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the western foothills of the Black Forest, on the banks of the Oos River, in the region of Karlsruhe...
, which led to the founding of the company Preiss & Kassler, operating from Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. Kassler became the business-minded partner and Preiss controlled artistic production.
In 1907 he married Margarethe Hilme, producing two children, Harry and Lucie. Initially the company created small ivory carvings of children and statuettes of classical form. From 1910 the firm grew to specialize in limited edition Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
cabinet sculptures that used painted bronze with ivory on plinths of onyx and marble, with an occasional foray into mantelpiece clocks and lampstands. Preiss designed nearly all the firm's models. Casting of the pieces was done by the firm Gladenbeck in Berlin. With the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in 1914 the company was employing six extremely skilled ivory carvers from Erbach and exporting regularly to England and the United States.
The firm closed with Preiss's death from a brain tumor in 1943. The old workshop in Ritterstraße in Berlin, which was housing the stock of samples, was gutted by a fire resulting from a bomb attack shortly before the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Preiss' works are greatly valued by modern collectors.